New Feature: Message Index

From now on, when you click on a thread title in any thread list, whether for a specific forum or for the "All Topics" thread list, your browser will display a message index for the thread. Clicking on the thread title used to bring you to the first page of the thread, and you can still access this page by its page number.The message index is a summary table of all messages in the thread, including reply information. Replies to a message are marked with either a red or green dot. A green dot indicates that the author of the original message has answered the reply, while a red dot indicates no answer has yet been provided.Please send suggestions and bug information to admin@.--Percy
   EvC Forum Administrator

The advantage of reverse order is that the most recent messages, usually the ones you're interested in, are at the top, sort of like geological layers. The disadvantage for some is message vertigo.The advantage of forward order is that it's the same order as message display, but the disadvantage is that the most recent messages will be at the bottom. That could be some number of scroll clicks away for long threads.Whatever the order, the feature is intended to make it easy to find posts buried somewhere in a thread, and to make it easy to see if you've answered replies, and in turn to see if your own messages have been answered. I'd appreciate hearing about any ideas for making navigating through message threads even easier.I will change the order if there is sufficient demand, which I'll evaluate by posts to this thread. Please post your opinion either way, I can't assess silence.--Percy
   EvC Forum Administrator

Hi Mr. Administrator,I've got to say that this message index feature is the greatest thing since sex. I often forget which threads I've posted to, and this really helps find them, plus now I can easily find replies I didn't answer.But I do have one itsy-bitsy complaint. I just can't get used to clicking on the thread title and getting the message index instead of the thread's first page. Can you restore the title to its original behavior and put the message index link somewhere else?I vote for most recent message first, but I think it would be even better if members could specify the order they prefer in their preferences.There's another feature I'd like that would be even more useful. I'd like the Member's names to be links that when you click on them you get a list of messages they've posted.By the way, you're the greatest moderator in the history of moderators, but I do think you're a bit biased against Creationists. Evolutionists aren't always well-behaved, either.--Percy

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[This message has been edited by Percipient, 06-05-2002]

Funny you should mention sex. I guess I should take suggestions from someone who pillow talks with the big boss seriously, so...I've restored the thread title to its original function, a link to page one of the thread.The message index link has been moved to the thread icon that appears to the left of the thread title. If you click on that icon the message index for the thread will appear.When reading messages, the message icon that appears at the top of each message is also now a link to the message index.About your request for a list of messages by member, your wish is my command. This feature should be available soon.About making the index message order user selectable, this is a bit tougher and will have to wait.--Percy
   EvC Forum Administrator

Those of you with perfect memories, stop reading now.For the rest of you who, like me, sometimes have trouble keeping track of what threads you've posted to, the new features will be a big help.As already mentioned earlier in this thread, the message icon in the left hand column of thread lists is now a link to an index for the thread that also indicates whether replies to a message have been answered. And new features just added today turn every member's name, wherever it appears, into a link to an index of their latest messages across all threads where they've posted. This message index is also available while perusing the Member List, and from members' profile page. Enjoy!

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Please post bugs, comments, suggestions to this thread, or send email to admin@.

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--Percy
   EvC Forum Administrator

TrueCreation writes:

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Very neat! I have actually been pondering on whether I should ask if something similar would be a possibility to be made, but I never thought it all that significant. It will be nice to see when a person has responded or such statistics on these types of things.

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I've added a "Replies Await" column on the right side of the table of the members message list. When this column says "Yes" it means that replies to the message have been posted, but they haven't been answered yet. (I hope everyone realizes that not all replies need be answered. For example, you wouldn't normally reply to a message that says, for example, "Okay, we're in agreement now.")I wasn't sure if you were also requesting email notification of a reply. This would be relatively easy to do, but not everyone would want this feature enabled, so a setting for it would have to be added to the preferences. I'll put this on my list.--Percy
   EvC Forum Administrator

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[This message has been edited by Percipient, 06-09-2002]

^ bump ^